The benefits of losing weight go beyond fitting into a smaller clothing size. Losing weight can improve your health, reduce the risk of developing certain conditions and make it easier for you to walk around. Before deciding on a plan to lose weight, consult with your health care provider about your weight, how much is safe to lose, and what it means for your health.
Reduced Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease
Being overweight or obese can increase your likelihood of having high blood sugars, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These factors make it more likely that you will develop cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. Individuals that are overweight develop resistance to insulin, which helps regular blood sugars. Extra weight strains the heart, causing the high blood pressure, says the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. This group of symptoms is commonly known as metabolic syndrome and is a known risk factor for stroke, diabetes and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, weight loss of even 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can improve your cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure.
Ease Joint Pain
According to the Hopkins Arthritis Center, an extra 10 lbs. can increase the forces on the knee by 30 to 60 pounds each time you take a step. Losing weight can reduce the stress on your joints and make it easier to move. The Hopkins Arthritis Center also states that overweight women have four times the risk of developing osteoarthritis, and overweight men have five times the risk of developing the disease. Even small amounts of weight loss can make a difference in how your joints feel.
Genitourinary Problems
Being overweight can also cause issues seemingly unrelated to weight. According to UCSF Medical Center, overweight individuals may have incontinence due to a heavy abdomen weakening the valve on the urinary bladder. This can cause stress incontinence or urine leakage. Menstrual problems and irregularities and infertility may also occur in overweight women.
Respiratory Symptoms
Losing weight can also help you breathe easier and get a better night's sleep. Fat deposits in the neck can occasionally block your air passage while you sleep, especially if you sleep on your back, causing you to wake up to breathe. These pauses in breathing while you sleep is a condition called sleep apnea, which can lead to sleeplessness and fatigue. A study published in the journal "Obesity" in 2006 found that obesity was associated with impairments in lung functioning in adults in Taiwan. Losing weight can promote easier breathing and lung health.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Weight: Losing Weight
- Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: Osteoarthritis Weight Management
- University of California-San Francisco Medical Center: Obesity Evaluation
- Nature.com: "Obesity": Impaired lung function is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in adults
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What are the health risks of overweight and obesity?
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